61 Social Media Statistics to Bookmark for 2018

Right when you think you’ve grasped your demographics, buyer habits and social advertising strategy, something new changes and turns your data into old news. That’s why it’s so important for marketers to stay up to date with the latest social media statistics.

Don’t believe us?

Statista recorded new Twitter users grew by 43 million year over year in 2014, but only by 9 million in 2016. On the other hand, new Instagram users increased by 150 million year over year in 2014 and has since successfully grown by 100 million new users each year.

While these social media statistics might not be shocking, it does show how the landscape of the industry drastically changes in a just a few years. To help you out with your current social media marketing efforts, we’re going to get you up to date on the newest stats and trends within the social media world.

Here are the 61 most essential social media statistics for 2018 and beyond (Click below to jump to each section):

Facebook Statistics

Facebook isn’t going anywhere, but some statistics are changing yearly. In fact, the Sprout Social Q1 2017 Index discovered Facebook still sees the most interactions and is the preferred network among millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers. Even Instagram’s massive increase in users falls to the power of Facebook.

Instagram Statistics

Instagram’s growth and recurring success shows why it’s one of the most powerful social media networks. Since the beginning of 2016, Instagram released a new algorithm, 60-second videos, a complete redesign, videos in explore, Instagram Stories, stickers, GIFs and Live videos–all while hitting 800 million users. Not bad for two years work, right?

However, there’s some helpful data that can show you how the networks is doing today–not two or three years back.

Instagram ads grew by 28% in the second half of 2017. There were 134,000 Instagram ads in July 2017, but ultimately hit 171,000 Instagram ads in December.

Instagram added 100 million users in roughly six months during 2016. This coincided with the launch of Instagram Stories.

Twitter Statistics

Twitter continually gets pushed aside from its competitor, Instagram. However, more businesses are turning to Twitter for faster customer service actions. Advertisers certainly aren’t moving away from the platform as well. It’s still important to know your essential Twitter statistics in 2018.

LinkedIn Statistics

As the world’s largest professional network, LinkedIn continues to grow. With LinkedIn demographics vastly different than most other networks, it’s important to know what’s going on with the channel. More businesses are starting to use LinkedIn as a marketing channel and some of these stats will show why.

Social Media Advertising Statistics

With algorithms and altered social media feeds, organic engagement is getting much harder for businesses to earn. The push toward social media advertising is no longer an option for most businesses. Here are some social media advertising statistics to be aware of in 2018.

Social Media Engagement Statistics

When discussing social media engagement, it’s critical for businesses to think about their customers. More than ever, users demand brand interactions and if the company doesn’t respond on social, it’s easy to lose customers.

32% of Gen Xers interact with brands at least once a month, which is higher than millennials (30%) and baby boomers (14%).

1 in 3 consumers would mention a brand when sharing a personal milestone or accomplishment on social media.

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Published on February 19, 2018

Alex York: is a writer, Senior SEO Specialist and your guiding light to all things content. When he’s not writing, you'll catch him defending Ohio sports teams or endlessly scrolling through Netflix. Follow him on Twitter @alexjyork.